Death's Gift
by Lily Desdemona Potter
Summary: BuffyxTwilight! What if Isabella Swan didnt exist until she moved to forks? What if Isabella swan was just her birth name? Who was she and why is she back with a sister/daughter and a old man who she calls 'Giles? Horrible sumery, better then it sounds
1. Chapter 1

**Preface:**

I never gave much thought as to how I would die. Truthfully...I have always known. I would die protecting the innocent, the humans from the thing the feared most but never knew existed. I was never told I had a choice, my destiny was planed long before I was 'called' and after seven years I have learned to except this curse. My name is Elizabeth Anne Summers, but I was born Isabella Marie Swan. This is my story, my life, the good the bad and the worst. I am the Vampire Slayer, but after today I will never be left to fight along again.

In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer. They're going to have to change that.

**Chapter 1: Summers Swan Part I  
**

**June 1st 1997:**

_I ran across the school grounds. Cut into the halls and throw open the door and rush in. I was running out of time and I had no way to make more. As I round a corner the I feel my slayer powers kick into overdrive,I feel Like I am in a slow motion movie. I run down the hall in slow motion never hearing whistler – soon to be thorn in my side – speaking from outside the school._

_"Bottom line is, even if you see 'em coming, you're not ready for the big moments."_

_I barges into the library and stop. What I find is strangely what I expect but it never heals the blow of seeing it._

_"No one asks for their life to change, not really. But it does."_

_I look around at the damage, and then see Kendra lying on the floor. I run to her, still in Denial, and skids down next to her on her knees. I sees that she's gone, all the blood that is around her, there is no way she could have survived, and I take her hand._

_"So what are we, helpless? Puppets? No. The big moments are gonna come. You can't help that. It's what you do afterward that counts. That's when you find out who you are."_

_I reach up to Kendra's face with my other hand and stroke it gently. Behind me a police officer raises his gun at me. I barely here him enter. "Freeze!" I hear the officer say,something tells me I am not going to like this. I look back at him, seemingly caught red-handed._

_"You'll see what I mean." _

_I looked out the window for a split second, thinking I had heard something._

_...................................**^_^**_

_After getting away from the cops I had ran straight to Giles' apartment, hoping against all hope for help. What I found stopped me dead in my tracks. Giles' apartment door was ajar, so after a moment I just came right in. "Giles! Giles!" I called, I looked around, but I didn't see, or hear him. Behind me I hear someone coming down the stairs from the loft. _

_"I don't think he's here." I pivot around to face him, "Who are you?" I ask, confusion crossing my face. "Whistler." Was the only answer I received and I gritted my teeth,"What are you doing here?" I asked this time with more force. He stops as he reaches the base of the stairs. "I'm waiting for you." I felt my eyebrows hit my hairline when these words left his mouth. Was he a stalker, or had Angel sent him? "Why?" I asked, he gulped and his eyes took on a sheepish look, and puppy like look. "'Cause I-I-I need a date to the prom." He said and I frowned, shooting daggers through my hazel eyes. _

_I step over to him and grab him by the throat and shove him up against the wall. "I have had a __**really** bad day, okay? If you have information worth hearing, then I am grateful for it. If you're gonna crack jokes, then I'm gonna pull out your ribcage and wear it as a hat." I said, venom dripping from my velvet voice as I drop him. He chokes a bit and grabs his throat, rubbing it as he speaks. "Hello to the imagery! Very nice." He says sarcastically, before straightening up. "seriously,It wasn't supposed to go down like this." He began again moving always from the wall, I just stared blankly, my arms crossed across my chest._

_ "Nobody saw you coming. I figured this for Angel's big day. But I thought he was here to __**stop** Acathla, not to bring him forth. Then you two made with the smoochies... now he's a creep again. Now, what are you gonna do? W-what are you prepared to do?" He said and I just glared more, How dare he! He just accentuated that this was my fault..OK it sort of was but I was prepared and I was going to tell him this. "Whatever I have to." I said a bit of sorrow leaking through my voice. "Maybe I should ask, what are you prepared to give up?" He asked, this time his eyes had a sadness and pity reflected in them. I exhale, " You don't have anything useful to tell me, do you? What are you, just some immortal demon sent down to even the score between good and evil?" I said, to my shock he blinks and nods. "Wow. Good guess." He grins, impressed._

_ I step up to him,again. "Well, why don't you try getting off your immortal ass and fighting evil once in a while? 'Cause I'm sick and tired of doing it myself." I practically yell. He holds up his hands in surrender and steps back. "In the end, you're always by yourself. You're all you've got. That's the point."_

_ "Spare me." I say in disgust before starting to leave. "The sword isn't enough. You gotta be ready." He says before raising his voice so I would hear him from my distance. Which in reality wasn't all that far, "You gotta know how to use it!" I keep walking, tired of hearing him talk, and I walk out the door and I slam it behind her. From Giles' apartment I went to other only place I could, Home. As I got there, Spike with me, I walked in sending my mother a small smile as she stared between me and Spike. I just hoped she was taking the news of my double life better then it looked. _

_"Look," He said pulling me aside, "This deal works for me one way. Full stop. Me and Dru for Angel." _

_"Honey, a-are you sure you're a Vampire Slayer?" I ignored her, I had bigger problems. "I'll take her out of the country. You'll never hear from us again, I __**bloody** well hope." _

_ "Fine. Get back to the mansion. Make sure Giles is all right." I said as my mother speaks up again. "I-I mean, have you tried **not **being a Slayer?" We both turn to stare at her and I shake my head, "Mom!" I yell, hoping she gets the message. Spike sighs in exasperation. "Be ready to back me up when I make my move." I said as I turned back to Spike. I turn back around as he walks around me to the door. "If Giles dies..." I began as Spike turns to look at me,"she dies." I said and he gives me a final stare and head out the door._

_ "It's because you didn't have a strong father figure, isn't it?" My mother said, denial in her voice. I turn to her as I roll my eyes, "It's just fate, Mom. I'm the Slayer. Accept it." I said. "We should call the police." She said as she heads to the kitchen. "No. We're not calling the police." I say as I follow her into the kitchen, she stops at the phone and turns to face me, smiling. "Well, now that we know that you're innocent, it's..." _

_"What? You thought I was guilty? Jeez, feelin' the love in **this **room!" I said, hurt lacing my voice. Mom shakes her head and says, "No, I didn't think that. It's just... now we have proof." She says as she tries to change the subject._

_ I chuckle bitterly and sigh exasperated. "We have my word, Mom. Not proof." I said. "Look, I am sure that they will understand." She said to me. I Stare back, my eyes hard and truthful. "Get them involved, you'll get them killed."_

_ "Well, you're not gonna hurt them, are you?" She says as she looks back into my eyes. I could hardly believe my mother was so stubborn. "I'm a Slayer, not a postal worker." I say and I shake my head as she picks up the phone, I slap my hand onto the switch and look at my shocked mother with cold eyes. "Cops can't fight demons." I said as I took the phone from her mom, "I have to do it." I said as I put the phone back in its cradle. "Do what? Buffy, what is happening?" My mother asked, her voice demanding. "Just have another drink." I said as I turn away from her and start to walk off. Mom throws her glass aside in anger, and it breaks on the floor. I listen startled. "Don't you talk to me that way! You don't get to just dump something like this on me and pretend it's nothing!"_

_ "I'm sorry, Mom, but I don't have time for this." I said, starting to walk away, but I stop, as I hear her start again. "No! I am tired of 'I don't have time' or-or 'you wouldn't understand." I turn to face her, my face enraged as she continues. "I am your mother Elizabeth, and you will **make**_ time to explain yourself."

_ "I told you. I'm a Vampire Slayer." I said, almost yelling, trying to keep my calm. Haughtily she speaks again, "Well, I just don't accept that!" I step closer my anger reaching its peek. "Open your eyes, Mom. What do you think has been going on for the past two years? The fights, the weird occurrences. How many times have you washed blood out of my clothing, and you still haven't figured it out?" I yell, My mother yells back, as tears build in both our eyes._

_ "Well, it stops now!" She said, I laughed, didn't she understand it had happened, it had been two years there was NO going back! "No, it doesn't stop! It **never **stops!" I screamed before catching my breath to yell once again, "Do-do you think I chose to be like this? Do you have any idea how lonely it is, how dangerous? I would love to be upstairs watching TV or gossiping about boys or... God, even studying! But I have to save the world... again." By now my tears were leaking down my face._

_ "No. This is insane." She said taking me by the shoulders. "Buffy, you need help." I throw off my mom's arms,"I'm __**not** crazy! What I need is for you to chill. I have to go!" I yell, I could tell my voice was going to be soar tomorrow. My mom shakes her head head, "No. I am not letting you out of this house." _

_ "You can't stop me." I said, looking at her with disbelief. She grabs me, "Oh yes I..." I mentally tell her sorry before shoving her back into the island, making her knock over several things. I head for the door, open it and step out. "You walk out of this house, don't even __**think **about coming back!" My mom yells. I look down and twist around to see her, I just give her a long stare and leave_

_

* * *

._**June 2nd 1997:**

_I had come back as soon as the battle had ended. I watched as my mother slept, it reminded me of her words though as I watched her peaceful face. **'You walk out of this house, don't even think about coming back!'** I shook my head, I would go to LA...though that thought went quickly, I mean where would I stay? I could get a job, but LA was way to close, for all I knew, 'Dad', I spat that word with venom in my mind, was in LA. I quietly went over to her closet and got out a box I knew had my birth certificate inside, it wasn't that I wanted though, it was the adoption certificate._

_I had known I was adopted for a while now, since I was 12. I had found the certificate on my 12th birthday, I never really got to read the details though, my mother caught me and took it away. I grabbed the box and darted out and into my bedroom. I opened it and pulled out the certificate, and stared down at the yellowed paper._

_Born as Isabella Marie Swan....This shocked me, I never knew she had changed my name when she adopted me. Isabella Swan..Bella...I could use this. To...Renee and Charlie Swan. My parents names where Renee and Charlie; I wondered why they had given me up? On September 13th 1980, adopted as Elizabeth Anne Summers...yeah I knew this all...I wondered if there was a address for Charlie Swan listed. I looked but all I came up with was a yellowed envelope, actually three. I took out letters and read each, the first was from Charlie, against my better judgment I was exited._

**_Dear Summers,_**

_It has come to my attention you are the ones who adopted my Isabella, My Bella. I understand you have come to love her as well, but I never wanted to give her up. When me and her mother, Renee, Married we were only seventeen, not even graduated, we did finish high school and when we where eighteen she feel pregnant. I was so shocked, we were married I was in training to be a cop. Renee however came from a high ranking family and they didn't like that we married so young, they hated the idea that she was pregnant not even a year into her marriage. In her family it is traditional that you have been married three years before having a child, I of course never agreed._

_Renee however didn't want to be pregnant, she felt she was to young, in reality she didn't want to be tied down. She told me If I didn't give the baby up for adoption she would leave me. I didn't want that, I was madly in love with her, and she knew it. I had hope that maybe when she saw our baby she would change her mind, But Renee Hale never changes her mind. When she was born I fought with her but I was eighteen and week, and against my will I lost my Little Bella._

_This leads me to know. I have recently divorced Renee, and have one thing to ask of you. Can I please have my Daughter back!_

**_Sincerely,_**

**_Charles Swan_**

_I couldn't believe it. My birth father wanted me, I was upset that he had listened to Renee, I refused to call her mom, but I could understand where both came from. I took the letter that was a letter that apparently Charlie had sent back along with a reply._

_**Dear Charlie,**_

_Me and My Husband are sorry that your wife made you give up your daughter. I myself couldn't even fathom giving up my baby. I wish I could give you the one request but She is no longer your daughter. Her name is Elizabeth Anne Summers, and she is MY daughter and you can not have her._

**_Sincerely,_**

**_Joyce Summers._**

_How dare she! She had refused the man of even meeting me...I knew he wanted me back, not just to see me, but after yesterday I could care less. Even though I told myself this inside I knew I would always love my mother, even if she had denied me a father, a real father. I wiped away a tear and read his reply._

**_Dear Joyce,_**

_I understand, I will miss Bella...I'm sorry Elizabeth, but If you would just send me a few pictures...I will never write to you again._

**_Thank you for everything,_**

**_Charlie Swan_**

_It was short and to the point. I wounder vaguely if I looked like him but quickly diverted my attention to the address. Forks, Washington. I smiled and with a plan in mind I gather everything I would need, even taking a few daggers, holy water and Mr. Pointy before I climbed out my window and said goodbye to sunnydale._

_

* * *

_

**_June 19th 1997:_**

_I sighed as I felt the rubber ball bounce off the back of my plane seat once again. I was on my way to forks, my blond hair was now a chocolate brown, with some red undertones, so it seemed more natural. My usually Hazel eyes where hidden behind chocolate colored contacts, all in all my past would be hard pressed to prove I was once Buffy Summers. I had been through hell the past two years and I had given up the most important things to me. My friends, my mother, my lover._

_Angel was dead, Killed by his own love. I didn't think I could ever get over him, but I was going to try. Angel wouldn't want me to be miserable. In the little time I had been on my own, I had lost what little of a tan I had and I looked like a Vampire Should, this always made me laugh when I thought about it. I gritted my teeth as the ball hit my seat again, the plane was almost to port angelus airport where Char..Dad would be waiting and I was getting tired of the Kid hitting my seat. I twisted around as I heard the ball coming through the air and with my inhuman reflexes I caught the ball before looking to the shocked kid. I noticed his mother, looked sick, and was asleep, I sighed and gently used my flexibility to reach over and shake her awake._

_I almost gasped when she opened Emerald green eyes. "I'm sorry Ma'am, but would you please trade seats with you son, he keeps hitting my seat with this ball." I said opening my hand to show her the red bouncing ball. "I am so...(Cough) Sorry. I'm Elizabeth, Please call me Eliza. This is my son Anthony." The women said. I nodded and smiled, I loved kids, when they weren't hitting my seat and I didn't mind that he had any longer. This women looked so sick, If I could only help her._

_"What a coincidence, My names Elizabeth as well, I just found out I was adopted though and while I am here I'm going by Isabella, my birth name. Please call me Bella." I said and she laughed but she immediately started coughing. "May I ask whats wrong with you?" I was a little sheepish about prying. She just smiled and nodded, "My son and I have moved here to get treatment for my Cancer, Lung cancer, It runs in my family. I also have a small Cold, its been a long summer for me and Andy." I smiled, but then I gave the ball back to Anthony._

_"Well I can maybe Babysit for you? I would also love to come visit you sometime." I said and she smiled back, she nodded and gave me a number and address, I recognized it as being close to Charlie's. I returned the favor and buckled up as the plane landed._

_I looked around as I descended the plane stairs and whipped my head around as I heard my 'new' name being called, "Bells!" He said and I looked at him. I walked forward and let him give me a awkward hug. "Its great to see you, I haven't seen you since you where 14...your hair was longer and blond then." He said and took my bags. I could see the similarities in our appearance, I assumed I received my blond hair from Renee as Charlie was a chocolate brown haired man with Chocolate eyes, I looked like a female version of him, only with differences. _

_I was happy that I had decided to come to Forks, even if it meant saying goodbye to the sun, and my old life. I was Bella Swan now, and I wasn't backing down from this new challenge. _

_

* * *

_**_September 14th 1997::_**

_I smiled at Edward as he told me he would drop off Renee's letter for me. In truth the letter was for Angel, he had come back not long ago, It confused me as to how, but Giles had gotten a hold of me and informed me. At first I had been terrified he had come back as Angelus, I couldn't fight him again, I just couldn't. I was over Angel, or at least most of me was, but he had been my first true love, I couldn't hurt him again.  
_

_"Okay," I agreed, unable to smile back any longer. He shut the door, and headed toward his car. He did beat me home. He was parked in Charlie's spot when I pulled up in front of the house. That was a bad sign. He didn't plan to stay, then. I shook my head and took a deep breath, trying to locate some courage._

_He got out of his car when I stepped out of the truck, and came to meet me. He reached to take my book bag from me. That was normal, though truthfully I could carry it myself, it was heavy but with my strength it wasn't to me. to my shock he shoved it back onto the seat. That was not normal._

_"Come for a walk with me," he suggested in an unemotional voice, taking my hand. I didn't answer - Had he decided to kill me after all? I should have known better then to get involved with another Vampire, but I couldn't help myself, I was in love with Edward, more so then I ever was with Angel. I couldn't think of a way to protest, but I instantly knew that I wanted to. I didn't like this. **This is bad, this is very bad**, the voice in my head repeated again and again, But he didn't wait for an answer. He pulled me along toward the east side of the yard, where the forest encroached._

_I followed unwillingly, trying to think through the panic. It was what I wanted, I reminded myself. The chance to talk it all through. So why was the panic choking me? We'd gone only a few steps into the trees when he stopped. We were barely on the trail—I could still see the house._

_Some walk._

_Edward leaned against a tree and stared at me, his expression unreadable._

_"Okay, let's talk," I said. It sounded braver than it felt. He took a deep breath._

_"Bella, we're leaving."_

_I took a deep breath, too. This was an acceptable option. I thought I was prepared, But I still had to ask._

_"Why now? Another year—"_

_"Bella, it's time. How much longer could we stay in Forks, after all? Carlisle can barely pass for thirty, and he's claiming thirty-three now. We'd have to start over soon regardless." His answer confused me. I thought the point of leaving was to let his family live in peace. Why did we have to leave if they were going? I stared at him, trying to understand what he stared back a roll of nausea, I realized I'd misunderstood.  
_

_"When you say we—," I whispered.  
_

_"I mean my family and myself." Each word separate and distinct. I shook my head back and forth mechanically, trying to clear it. He waited without any sign of impatience. It took a few minutes before I could speak.  
_

_"Okay," I said. "I'll come with you."  
_

_"You can't, Bella. Where we're going… It's not the right place for you." I almost laughed. Did he know who he was talking to? Of course not, I was to much of a chicken to reveal it, afraid of being hurt again, afraid of this very moment.  
_

_"Where you are is the right place for me."_

_"I'm no good for you, Bella."_

_"Don't be ridiculous." I wanted to sound angry, but it just sounded like I was begging._

_ "You're the very best part of my life." I was being truthful. Ever since my 14th birthday my life had become meaningless. My duty dictating ever aspect of my teenage life, he couldn't be doing this, but I knew he was.  
_

_"My world is not for you," he said grimly._

_"What happened with Jasper—that was nothing, Edward! Nothing!"_

_"You're right," he agreed. "It was exactly what was to be expected." This pissed me off. He was stating the obvious, did he not realize I was the danger magnet, Without him he was certainly damming me to death, at least he would be if I wasn't the Slayer.  
_

_"You promised! In Phoenix, you promised that you would stay—"_

_"As long as that was best for you," he interrupted to correct me._

_"No! This is about my soul, isn't it?" I shouted, furious, the words exploding out of me—somehow it still sounded like a plea. Did he really believe his kind did not have souls? I would know if he didn't and I knew for a fact he did. "Carlisle told me about that, and I don't care, Edward. I don't care! You can have my soul. I don't want it without you—it's yours already!"  
_

_He took a deep breath and stared, unseeingly, at the ground for a long moment. His mouth twisted the  
tiniest bit. When he finally looked up, his eyes were different, harder—like the liquid gold had frozen  
solid. "Bella, I don't want you to come with me." He spoke the words slowly and precisely, his cold eyes on  
my face, watching as I absorbed what he was really saying.  
_

_There was a pause as I repeated the words in my head a few times, sifting through them for their real  
intent._

_"You… don't… want me?" I tried out the words, confused by the way they sounded, placed in that  
order._

_"No." With that my world crashed down around me. _

**October.....**

**November....**

**December....**

**January.....**

**

* * *

  
**

_**January 4th 1998::**_

_I lay comatose on the cold ground. I could not believe this, he had left me. Why was everyone I loved leaving me? I had finally moved on enough from angel..to want to be with him forever, to want to become the one thing I was destined to fight and he had left. I had stayed with Edward even after I knew Angel had come back, with his soul. Angel had even been willing to try again with me, but he saw the way I looked at Edward, and he had let me free of our past. _

_Angel had left back to sunnydale to help the new slayer, faith, and I was free to love Edward. Edward had been my heart and soul, he had helped me get over Angel even though he hadn't known it. Then he had left me and left me with nothing. I remembered when I had first moved here I was so happy to find no Demonic Vampires, but what I found shocked me, another kind of Vampire. _

_They were so different, but so alike . Maybe Angel was right, I should have told Edward about what I was, but I hadn't, and it had cost me everything. Ever since the battle with James, I had been itching for a fight, but I hadn't thought the battle would have such consequences. My body was changing, my aging had staled and my strength was that even greater then normal slayers. _

_James' Venom may have been sucked out, but some had been absorbed into my DNA, and tissue. Now not only was my skin clear of all previous imperfections, but my bones were harder to break, my skin was slightly colder to the touch, not much so it hadn't been noticeable. My aging had staled, so I was aging at a snails pace and my strength had become just a bit more stronger. Ironically the only one to notice had been Angel. _

_I clenched my fist into the cold wet Forrest floor, not to much deeper then were he left me and felt my ears twitch as I heard foot steps. After Edward had left I had went into a catatonic state and let my appearance falter, my once chocolate hair was longer and my blond roots were showing, my once chocolate contact eyes were back to there usual hazel and they as my dad had said, were dead. _

_"Bella, fancy seeing you here." Came a snarling voice. I recognized it instantly. Victoria had returned, maybe she would kill me? I though better of it though as I slowly stood up my head hanging down. " Hello Victoria." I muttered, keeping my head down and flexing my hands. "Where is your little boy toy?" She asked and I chuckled bitterly. Edward, a boy toy, yeah right. I had been the toy, not him. _

_"He left me..he didn't want me any more." I said, but instantly regretted it. I was letting her see my weakness, this wasn't good. "How sad. I was looking forward to making you a example for him, but I guess I'll just have to live with killing you." She said and rushed towards me. I heard the wind rustle with her movement and as if in slow motion I side stepped her. She stopped herself from bearling into the tree and turned around at the same moment as I did. _

_"How?" She asked, speechless. I looked up at her with my piercing Hazel eyes, my head cocked slightly to the side. "I don't think we've been introduced, I'm Buffy...The vampire slayer." I said and punched her in the jaw. I winced slightly as my hand protested as she was still harder then normal vampires and me, even after James venom. I smiled as she hit the tree and the tree splintered, almost being uprooted. I used my speed to grab her arms and hugest my feet on her abdomen and pulled with my strength. Even with her strength and harder bones, the arms came away easily enough and I winced at her high pitched scream. _

_It took me a total of 10 minutes to get her apart - she kept trying to fight back - and start a bonfire using her body parts, saving the head for last. If Edward didn't want me then I was going home, if Mom didn't want me then I was sure Giles did. _

_

* * *

  
_

_**June 3rd 1999::**_

_I winced as I fell into the sewer tunnel, and into Angel's arms. It had been almost 10 months since Edward had left me broken. I remembered when I had returned, and broken down with Willow. Angel had found out not long after and to say he was angry was a understatement. Two months latter we had begun again, we were officially going out, again. Though no matter how much I loved Angel I loved Edward as well, I was so afraid I would get hurt._

_"I always say patrol's not complete without a trip to the stinky sewers." I said as I dusted off my faded blue jeans and started walking further into the sewer. "I'm sure I saw him come down here." Angel said from my side, I smiled and laughed._

_"Couldn't we just let this be the vamp that got away? We could say he was this big." I said, holding my hands apart like I'd seen Dad do after a fishing trip. "What can I say? I need closure." He said as we rounded a corner. I sighed; I wasn't getting out of this one.  
_

_"You need clothes. You don't have a tux, do you?" I asked as I turned around to face him. He raised a single eyebrow and I smiled at his confusion._

_"Since when did patrolling go black tie?" I laughed and shook my head as I turned back around after him. "It's for the prom, silly." I said. I heard him sigh and I instantly winced.  
_

_"We have more important things to think about right now than a dance, Buffy." He said a bit too seriously. I looked at him, sighed and shrugged my shoulders, "Sorry, Giles. I'll just be quiet." I brushed past him and Angel growled slightly, anyone else wouldn't have noticed._

_  
"Come on, don't be that way." He said just as a vampire drops from the roof, growling. I glare pull out my stake, "Not now." I say casually stakes the vampire and turn to Angel._

_"I'm not being that way. Every time I say the word 'prom', you get grouchy." This was true. Ever since I had explained to him what it was he got defensive._

_"I'm sorry. I'm just worried that you're getting too...invested in this whole thing." Confusion graced my face and I looked into his brown eyes. "What whole thing? Isn't this the stuff that I'm supposed to get invested in? Going to a formal dance, graduating, and growing up." I said more then asked._

_"I know." He said confusing me more._

_"Then what? What's with the dire?" I asked almost yelling.  
"It's uh, it's nothing." He says and I instantly feel the dread fuel the pit of my stomach. I remembered this feeling; I had gotten it 10 months ago._

_"No, you have 'something' face." I said as I walked in front of him worry and confusion etched into my face.  
"I think we need to talk, but not now and not here." I gulped, those may not have been the same words but I knew those phrases. "No. No, if you have something to say; then say it." I practically whisper in hysterics. I close my eyes waiting but only hear the silence of the sewers. "Angel, drop the cryptic. You're scaring me." I said my voice generally afraid._

_"I've been thinking... about our future. And the more I do, the more I feel like us, you and me being together, is unfair to you." I shake my head, wondering where this was coming from._

_"Is this about what the Mayor said; because he was just trying to shake us up?"_

_"He was right."_

_"No. No, he wasn't. He's the bad guy." I tell him my body shaking in my white long sleeve sweater, and jeans._

_"You deserve more. You deserve something outside of demons and darkness. You should be with someone who can take you into the light; someone who can make love to you." He said and I looked at him wide eyed and teary. How dare he, did he not realize I needed him? I couldn't live without him; he was the only thing keeping me from going catatonic…from killing myself because of…Edward._

_"I don't care about that."_

_"You will, and children."_

_"Children? Can you say jumping the gun? I kill my goldfish!" I yell as I pull my sleeves over my hands._

_"Today, But you have no idea how fast it goes, Buffy. Before you know it, you'll want it all, a normal life."_

_"I'll never have a normal life."_

_"Right, you'll always be The Slayer. But that's all the more reason why you should have a real relationship instead of this, this freak show." He says and I stare stunned. Did he really think this was a freak show? Sure he was older, he was even older then Edward, but did he really not love me? A freak show….had Edward felt the same? "I didn't mean that." He says but I just shake my head and move past him._

_  
"I'm gonna go" I turn back as he grabs my arm,_

_"I'm sorry. Buffy, you know how much I love you. It kills me to say this." I pull my arm lose and stare at him with contempt._

_"Then don't. Who are you to tell me what's right for me? You think I haven't thought about this?"_

_"Have you, rationally?"_

_"No. No, of course not; I'm just some swoony little schoolgirl, right?" I sarcastically spit, venom fueling my words._

_"I'm trying to do what's right here, okay? I'm trying to think with my head instead of my heart."_

_"Heart? You have a heart? It isn't even beating!" I spit, part of me regretting it as I see his hurt face._

_"Don't."_

_"Don't what? Don't love you? I'm sorry. You know what? I didn't know that I got a choice in that. I'm never gonna change. I can't change. I want my life to be with you." I say my tears slowly leak forward. He should feel honored, not even Edward saw me cry._

_"I don't." I chocked back a sob, why was I always losing those that I Loved?_

_"You don't want to be with me? I can't believe you're breaking up with me." I couldn't believe any of this, didn't he realize I was still wounded from Edward, now he was leaving me…I would be dead emotionally before I was killed on duty._

_"It doesn't mean that I don't ..." I didn't let him finish._

_"How am I supposed to stay away from you?"_

_"I'm leaving. After the Ascension, after it's finished with the Mayor and Faith. If we survive, I'll go." He said and I closed my eyes, willing myself to stop the tears._

_"Where?" I asked, I knew even if he did know her wouldn't tell me. Edward hadn't and though the hospital had been told LA I knew it was a cover. LA was to Sunny._

_"I don't know."_

_"Is this really happening?" I ask and without waiting for an answer I turn to leave. After getting out of the sewer I run home, running up the stares and into my room. I instantly begin to cry, after several minutes I grab the phone, I knew willow would help me.  
_

_-----------------------------------------_

_"So, that's it?" Willow said and I nod, clutching my blue and pink pillow.  
"That's it. Assuming we survive this Ascension thing, he's gonna leave town." I sniff and look to willow; who is glaring at the wall, her green eyes a blaze.  
"Well, he's a fool. He's just a big, dumb, jerk person if you ask me. He's a super-maxi-jerk for doing it right before the prom."_

_"It's not his fault. He's 243 years old. He doesn't exactly get the prom." I say and try to think of why this hurts so much. I knew I loved him, but I also loved Edward. With the choice I Knew I would choice Edward…I didn't know why I was so torn about Angel right now. That was a lie, I knew. He had broken up with me, so similar to Edward, so different at the same time._

_This brought back the pain of when he had left me; it was just to close to the same._

_"But he should, if ..." I cut her off pasting a small forced smile on my face._

_"Will, its okay. You don't have to make him the bad Guy."_

_"But that's the best friend's job, vilifying and grousing."_

_"Usually, yeah. But he's right. I mean, I think, maybe in the long run, that he's right."_

_"Yeah, I think he is. I mean, I tried to hope for the best, but... I'm sorry. It must be horrible; especially with what happened with Edward." Willow said and I couldn't help but wince and feel my heart constrict._

_"I think horrible is still coming. Right now, it's worse. Right now, I'm just trying to keep from dying." I say as the tears well up in my eyes._

_"Oh, Buffy." I lean over into Willows lap and against my will start to sob._

_"I can't breathe, Will. I feel like I can't breathe."_

_

* * *

_**June 5th 1999:**

_Graduation is usually the day everyone lives for, but not me. Don't get me wrong I'm happy to be finished with school; god knows I sucked at it, but a year ago, I would have never dreamed I'd be back in Sunnydale, getting ready to blow up the Mayer. I look at Snyder at the podium and pretend to listen to what he is saying._

_"Congratulations to the class of 1999. You all proved more or less adequate. This is a time of celebration, so: sit still and be quiet; Spit out that gum. - Please welcome our distinguished guest speaker: Richard Wilkins the 3rd." I chuckled as he looks at a student in front of me and says, "I saw that gesture. You see me after graduation." Then he Turns and claps. The students started clapping clapping and Willow and Oz come running to take their places. Willow sits down next to me and puts on her hat before asking,_

_"Am I late; to the fight?" I shake my head and we turn our attention to the Mayor who shakes Snyder's hand and steps up to the podium. He Smiles and takes out some cue cards. I raise an eyebrow as the Mayor clears his throat and surveys the students._

_"Well. What a day this is! - Special day. Today is our centennial the one hundreds anniversary of the founding of Sunnydale, and I know what that means to all you kids: not - a darn thing. Because today something much more important happens: today you all graduate from high school. Today all the pain, all the work, all the excitement is finally over. And what's a hundred years of history compared to that? You know what kids? …" I drown him out as I let my hazel eyes go big._

_"Oh my God; He's going to do the entire speech." I stated horror lacing my words. I felt Willow sigh with disgust and with contempt I didn't know she possessed. "Man, just ascend already."  
"Evol!" I said as I glared at him._

_"… for all of you it may be that there is a place in Sunnydale's history, whether you like it or not. It's been a long road getting here; for you; for Sunnydale. There has been achievement, joy, good times, and there has been grief. There's been loss. Some people who should be here today… aren't." I knew he was talking about faith and I felt my stomach clentch in grief and guilt._

_"But we are. - Journey's end. And what is a journey? Is it just… distance traveled? Time spent? No. It's what happens on the way, it the things that happen to you. At the end of the journey you're not the same. Today is about change. Graduation doesn't just mean your circumstances change, it means you do. You ascend… to a higher level. Nothing will ever be the same; Nothing." He looks up. the other students and I look up to see the sun being totally blocked. The Mayor flinches in pain. Then swallows and continues his speech: "And so as we look back on…" I flinch as he groans in pain before continuing. "On the events that brought us to this day " Another wave of pain hits him and I take my hat off in preparation._

_"Come on."_

_"We… we must all…" He scrams and all the others look at each other with discomfort. "It has begun: My destiny. It's a little sooner then I expected I had this whole section on civic pride…But I guess we'll just skip to the big finish!"_

_Willow and I look at each other as the Mayor starts to grimace and stretch and grow. His suit splits around him and Snyder is leaning back in his seat looking taken aback. The Mayor suddenly transforms into a big snake-like demon with clawed mandibles surrounding its mouth. It keeps growing, stretching higher as the faculty abandons their seats. The students get up but stay in place staring up at the Mayor, who seems to stretch up above the roof of the school._

_The Students stare up as the parents in the back to panic and leave. A group of vampires comes up the steps behind the students.  
"Now!" I yell and all the students take off their gowns revealing crosses, axes, and other assorted weaponry._

_"Flame units." I say and several students including, Larry point flame throwers at the Mayor and start flaming him. The Mayor sways above the students screaming, and I nod at Xander._

_"First wave!" He says and a group of students including Willow aim cross bows loaded with lance points at the Mayor, " Fire!"  
The Mayor screams and sways then lunges down and swallows a student in the first row. I stare in shock, as some of the students start milling around._

_"This… this is simply unacceptable!" Snyder says.  
Three of the students break and run right into the group of vampires waiting on the steps, and Oz looks over as they are quickly killed by the vampires._

_"Xander?"_

_"Arm bow men." He says and Oz and some others pick up long bows and arrows. The vampires slowly move up the steps as the kids lit their arrows on fire and take aim "Fire!"  
The students let fly a mass and several vampires are hit and turn into flaming dust. Xander looks back at the students in front of the Mayor. Jonathan comes flying through the air and lands on top some students knocking them down._

_"Fall back!" I yell at the other students around me and Look to Xander who is commanding the bow men,_

_"Fire!"  
The students let fly with the fire arrows again and several more vampires get hit. The vampires turn to leave only to find themselves confronted by another group of students led by Angel who is flanked by Percy and Wesley. They look at each other for a moment then Angel's group attacks. Angel starts to beat up some vampires, and Wesley runs up and right into a vampires fist, falls on his back. Angel fights two or three vampires at once easily holding his own. The flame units once more shoot fire at the Mayor. Larry's flame thrower cuts out or jams and after a moment he put is down and takes up a lance. The Mayor's tail whips around, throwing Larry up in the air. He lands hard in front of the podium._

_Angel throws some vampires around, and I look back and start to get up on a chair. Before I can act Snyder looks up at the Mayor, anger taking over him. "This is not orderly. This is not discipline!" I wince as the Mayor's snake head whipping around. "You're on my campus buddy!"_

_"And when I say I want quiet, I want…" I look on in horror as the Mayor eats Snyder, a small part of me jumping up and down in excitement. I turn to the students around me and  
Scream,_

_"Fall Back! Get back! Go!" I looked back up at the Mayor after getting of the chair and scream, "Hey!" holding Faith's knife in my right hand, "You remember this? I took it from Faith. Stuck it in her gut." I Look at the knife then back up at the Mayor,_

_"Just slid in her like she was butter." the Mayor gnashing his teeth and growling._

_"You want to get it back from me…. Dick?" I turn and run into the school with the Mayor in pursuit. I come upon a door and open it before running in. The Mayor barrels down the door and some of the surrounding wall as he pursues me. I keep running towards the library while the Mayor tears through the school like a freight train. As I run into the library, I vault a banister looking back at the Mayor. The Mayor looks around the library and sees the barrels of diesel fuel and bags of fertilizer stacked everywhere. I grin but keep running and jumps out of a window. Just as I touch the ground the building explodes. I crouch beside Giles who is the one who blew the charge and smile._

_Its over, it's finally over._

_For now._

_

* * *

_

**March 20th 2001:**

_I once asked myself Why I still fought the good fight. The reason is easy, It's the only thing I know. Its been almost 6 years since I became the slayer and each moment I whined, no longer. For once the slaying gave me something I never would have had otherwise. A sister, A daughter. Without Dawn I would be nothing._

_With these thoughts I continue hitting Glory with the hammer. Glory has blood running out of her nose. She gives me an anguished look._

_"You're just a mortal. You couldn't understand my pain." She says and I roll my eyes. I shrug my shoulders before looking at her with hate, "Then I'll just have to settle for causing it." With that I hit Glory with the hammer again. Glory reels to the side, recovers and turns back. "You can't kill me." She says and I snarl, She was right, "No ...but my arm's not even tired yet." I said lifting said Hammer, and then I hit Glory again._

_I look up slightly not taking my scinces off Glory as I hear and smell a bloody knife falling onto the floor of the Platform above. I heard the conversation and smiled. If spike knew he would be a great father._

_"You don't come near the girl, Doc."_

_"I don't smell a soul anywhere on you. Why do you even care?"_

_"I made a promise to a lady."_

_"Oh?"_

_I wince as I heard Spike fall to the ground below, lands amid a pile of bricks. I look at Glory as she falls to her knees. She looks up at me, gasping, on the verge of tears._

_"Stop it."_

_"You're a god." I say and hit glory again, and I smirk as she falls back onto the floor._

_"Make it stop." I say almost like a challenge._

_I go over to Glory, kneel beside her and hit her several more times. I wasn't concentrating on looking at her, she may be a god but she has a human body, so I'm sure none could see glory during this, just me slamming the hammer down over and over._

_I stare at glory, blood covering her face and, She morphs into Ben. I stop hitting at once._

_"I'm sorry." He says. It means little to me but I Nod anyways if only to give him some closure._

_"Tell her it's over. She missed her shot. If she She ever, ever comes near me and mine again..." I coldly stare at him and he interrupts._

_"We won't. I swear." I nod and drop the hammer before hurrying away._

_I start to climb the tower and grit my teeth as I hear Dawn screaming, and I smell her blood. It was then I knew for a fact she was more then just my sister, she was my daughter. The monks made of from me, not as a clone, but they took my DNA, not only mine but Spikes. She was our daughter, she would never know._

_"Dawn." I said as I came to the top.  
"Buffy!" I hear her say as she gasps in pain. The one who caused her pain whirls around as I stride forward._

_"This should be interesting."_

_I don't even pause, just walk right past Doc, giving him a push as I goes. He falls over the edge. We can hear him faintly screaming as I go to Dawn, who continues crying._

_"Buffy, it hurts." Dawn says and I feel my hazel eyes tear up. I look into her Ice blue eyes, eyes I've only ever seen on Spike and smile. Her chocolate hair the same color as when I was in forks and the color I assumed Spikes hair used to be._

_"I got it. Come here. You're gonna be okay." I said as I try to get her free. When I did I slowly leads Dawn limping across the platform to the tower entrance. Dawn stops, turns to me._

_"__Go!" I say maybe a bit to harshly.  
"Buffy, it's started." She says and I blink_, **'What?'** _I think before I turn. We can both see the light of the portal. I breathed In as the wind from the portal blows my hair and I gasp softly as it grows bigger._

_I look down through the grated floor and with my improved slayer vision I see Giles staring upward. The ground shakes and the crazies and minions fall to the ground. Xander and Anya holding each other and staring up; While Willow and Tara holding each other and staring up, turning to look in each others eyes._

_I blink back tears as I see Spike still recovering from his fall. He rolls aside as a crack appears in the ground he's lying on._

_I turn back to Dawn as Dawn continues staring at the portal._

_"I'm sorry." She says tearfully. I shake my head and look her in the eyes before saying, "it doesn't matter."_

_Dawn tries to run past me t I grab her._

_"What are you doing?"_

_"I have to jump. The energy.."_

_"It'll kill you."_

_" I know." She says softly and I look at her with tears and confusion._

_" Ellie I know about the ritual. I have to stop it." She says using the name she gave me when she was two and I glare and shake my head and say a forceful, "No."_

_The tower shakes underneath us making us Both stumble._

_" I have to. Look at what's happening."_

_"Buffy, you have to let me go. Blood starts it, and until the blood stops flowing, it'll never stop. " I stare at dawn in anguish._

_"You know you have to let me. It has to have the blood." I looked from her to the portal and my eyes widen in realization. The blood..I drift slightly as words come back to me,_

**'Cause it's always got to be blood.'**

**'it's Summers blood. It's just like mine.'**

**'she's me. The monks made her out of me.'**

**'Death is your gift.'**

**'Death...'**

_"..is your gift. " I turn around slowly._

_I look at the portal with a peaceful look and turns back to Dawn, who stares wide-eyed._

_"Buffy ... no!"_

_"Dawnie, I have to."_

_"No!"_

_"Listen to me. Please, there's not a lot of time, listen."_

_I hold Dawn by the upper arms and continues talking to her, although I fell like I've gone death and the words don't seem to be reaching me. I don't think anyone but Dawn can hear them. Dawn begins to cry. Lightning continues to crackle behind us._

_I strokes the side of Dawn's face, then kisses her on the cheek. Dawn continues to cry and I looked down and see my family, and seed a small prayer they will protect Dawn._

_In what feels like slow-motion, I run down the platform as Dawn stays there crying. I take my last breath before I swan-dive off the end of the platform and into the Portal, dawn stays behind, watching and, sobbing._

_I fall into the portal and hang there motionless, making expressions of pain._

_I feel myself die the words I spoke to dawn come back to me._

**"Dawn, listen to me. Listen."**

**"I love you. I will _always_ love you, But this is the work that I have to do."**

_I sigh as the portal shrinks to nothingness and disappears. The sun begins to rise. From a light place I watch as Willow and Tara, holding each other up, walk forward. Behind them I can see Giles coming forward too, and Xander holding Anya in his arms. They all walk forward, staring at something I can't see._

**"Tell Giles ... tell Giles I figured it out. And, and I'm okay."**

_I gasp as I see they're all looking at MY lifeless body lying amid the debris. In the background I see Spike trying to come forward, falling to the ground as the sunlight hits him._

_Spike Starts to sob, his face bloodied._

_Willow and Tara hold each other as Willow begins to cry._

**"And give my love to my friends."**

_Xander and Anya looking sadly at my body. I smiled as Anya lowers her head to Xander's shoulder._  
**"You have to take care of them now."**

_I feel tears leak down my face as Giles looking at my body sad and like he is in disbelief._  
**"You have to take care of each other."**

_Giles begins to cry._

**"You have to be strong."**

_I smile as Dawn comes slowly down the stairs, holding her sides, spotting the others, she walks forward and I feel a lump in my throat as she sees my body and begins to cry._

**"Dawn, the hardest thing in this world ... is to live in it."**

**"Be brave. Live. For me."** _I smile sadly and then look up to see a women with my mother. She has beautiful bronze hair, a shade I've only seen on one person, and emerald green eyes. "Elizabeth Mason..."_

**"If you ever see anyone that is inhumanly beautiful and goes by the last name Cullen. Tell them I love them."** I _smiled as My world fades to light, I'm finally through, I can finally rest._

**BUFFY ANNE SUMMERS  
1980-2001  
BELOVED SISTER  
DEVOTED FRIEND  
SHE SAVED THE WORLD  
A LOT**


	2. Chapter 2

Previously:

**"Dawn, listen to me. Listen."**

**"I love you. I will _always_ love you, But this is the work that I have to do."**

_I sigh as the portal shrinks to nothingness and disappears. The sun begins to rise. From a light place I watch as Willow and Tara, holding each other up, walk forward. Behind them I can see Giles coming forward too, and Xander holding Anya in his arms. They all walk forward, staring at something I can't see._

**"Tell Giles ... tell Giles I figured it out. And, and I'm okay."**

_I gasp as I see they're all looking at MY lifeless body lying amid the debris. In the background I see Spike trying to come forward, falling to the ground as the sunlight hits him._

_Spike Starts to sob, his face bloodied._

_Willow and Tara hold each other as Willow begins to cry._

**"And give my love to my friends."**

_Xander and Anya looking sadly at my body. I smiled as Anya lowers her head to Xander's shoulder._  
**"You have to take care of them now."**

_I feel tears leak down my face as Giles looking at my body sad and like he is in disbelief._  
**"You have to take care of each other."**

_Giles begins to cry._

**"You have to be strong."**

_I smile as Dawn comes slowly down the stairs, holding her sides, spotting the others, she walks forward and I feel a lump in my throat as she sees my body and begins to cry._

**"Dawn, the hardest thing in this world ... is to live in it."**

**"Be brave. Live. For me."** _I smile sadly and then look up to see a women with my mother. She has beautiful bronze hair, a shade I've only seen on one person, and emerald green eyes. "Elizabeth Mason..."_

**"If you ever see anyone that is inhumanly beautiful and goes by the last name Cullen. Tell them I love them."** I _smiled as My world fades to light, I'm finally through, I can finally rest._

**BUFFY ANNE SUMMERS  
1980-2001  
BELOVED SISTER  
DEVOTED FRIEND  
SHE SAVED THE WORLD  
A LOT**

**This Time**

**

* * *

****Chapter 2: Summers Swan Part II**

**February 21st 2002,**

_Heaven is a wonderful place. I met my mom again; she was saddened to see me so soon but so proud of me at the same time. Then there was Elizabeth, she was so kind. I wondered how Edward could have been so cruel to me those 20 some months before. Though I was at peace in heaven I missed my family, Hell I even missed Spike._

_Right now I was sitting in a white room of my little one bedroom cottage – yes there are houses in Heaven - and playing cards with Eliza and mom. I had recently checked in on everyone from my looking pond, it was a cool contraption, and even Charlie and Renee. I hated Renee most the time because of how the monks had her the mother of Dawn and how she gave Dawn up as well. Thankfully I knew the truth now._

_Just as I was about to whoop the other girls' ass at poker a sharp pain hit me and and I felt like I was dieing all over again. As as everything went black I heard my mother scream, "Buffy? Elizabeth!!"_

_I opened my eyes and on instinct breathed in as flesh and hair reappeared on my body. I gasped as I saw the box I was in. Where was I! I started clawing at the box and soon enough I was out but dirt started to pile on me, I was out of breath._

_Suddenly my hand bursts out from below, then another hand, then my head and shoulders. I gasp for air, pull myself up onto the grass, and I lie there panting. I look around at the dark forest, very fearfully._

_**……………………………..**_

_I slowly get to my feet, turn and stare at the headstone with my name on it. I frown in confusion, then my eyes widen in shock as I get it. I was dead…or had been dead. I didn't understand anything right now. Was this hell? Has God kicked me out, had I been unworthy of peace?_

_I walked around as I found my way out of the grave yard, a car sits there burning, and half burnt away. I walk up, stare and continue walking down a street that's littered with debris. I sniff at the fire smell and look down to see I am wearing a black dress with dark hose and black heeled shoes. My hair is shaggy and mostly covers my face. Everything is blurry and indistinct. I continue walking, squinting and frowning at the burning cars._

_I stop walking to stare at a car. A demon on his motorcycle goes roaring past, throws something as he goes by. Buffy watches him go, backs away._

_I quickly leave and begin walking down residential streets. A siren wails in the background. I go to a car that's parked on a driveway, leans against it._

_The car's lights come on and its security system begins to wail and honk. I press my hands over my ears in pain. The house lights come on. The front door opens and a man comes out. "What are you doing?" He yells._

_I peer at him through my fingers, I can not make out anything as my vision is still very blurry. The man is holding a shotgun, I think._

_"Get away from there!"_

_I squint at him._

_"Do you hear me? I said get off my property!"_

_I continue frowning and squinting._

_"Leave us alone. Get outta here!"_

_He fires into the air, my mind is blank as to what it is but its scary and I turn and run off. I come upon something, I think they are demons with bikes, motorcar…motorcycles? I blink some more and come closer without them noticing, hearing their conversation._

_"This here is a momentous occasion, the beginning of a new era." Says someone._

_"Now, no question, the open back roads and highways have been good to us. But we've got ourselves a juicy little burg here, just ripe for the picking. And I ain't in no hurry to leave it, you?" I recognize the voice as the one from before. then a lot of voices scream, "NO!" as I walk closer._

_"So I figure, what better way to kick off our ... semi-settling-down, than with a little christening?" The demons cheer again. I faintly see some big blurs attaching chains to the bikes. They grin at each other as the cheering continues. I continue to walk closer._

_"A symbolic act commemorating the new order around here, and ridding ourselves of any not-so-pleasant reminders of the old."_

_I see the leader is holding a gun. He holds it up and theatrically puts a bullet in._

_"All in one quick, really, **really **violent fell swoop."_

_I comes right up behind a couple of the demons. I still look very muddled. They don't notice Me._

_"Gentlemen, start your engines."_

_The demons start up their bikes. I get a very quick look at the bikes with chains attached, and the BuffyBot among them. The demons sit still on their bikes, engines rumbling. I see the bot standing there with chains attached to both her arms._

_I catch unblured sight of the bot, and my eyes widen in shock._

_I notice the bot sees me and also looks surprised._

_"Bye-bye, slayer!"_

_I take a step closer. I see the bot's mouth say "Buffy" but I can't hear her over the engines. The demon fires into the air. The bikes begin to move._

_"No!" I scream almost without realizing it. Its been so long since I've heard my own voice._

_The demons nearest to me hears me scream and turns around. The four motorcycles all move off in four different directions. Each bike is attached to one of the bot's limbs. Her arms and legs are ripped from her body and her torso goes flying. The demons grin._

_I look around anxiously. The demons near To me move aside so that all the demons can see me. "Another one for the fire, boys." I hear the leader say and I look around at the fire and blurs alarmed._

_"Tear it up."_

_I back away, turn and begin to run. Why is this happening to me? A demon on a motorcycle comes from behind and cuts in front of me, cutting me off. I gasp and turn to see another one coming at me, swinging a chain over his head. I run toward that demon as the first one follows. I duck, and the chain hits the first demon, knocking him off his bike._

_"Sorry. Sorry." I Hear the demons say to each other and I get up and continue to run off._

_I get up and runs off._

_I leap over a pile of stuff and flinging myself over a fence. A motorcycle screeches to a stop behind me. The demon growls angrily. I drop to the ground in front of someone and look up at them through my hair as one of them screams, "Watch it!"_

_I rise to my feet, and the short blur of reddish blond speaks._

_"It ... it's the Buffy Bot."_

_"Ah, peachy. No doubt to lead the wild bunch right to us again. Hey Will, next time this thing's damaged, couldn't ya program it to find the nearest Radio Shack, or..." I recognized the voice but its all blurry, why can't I remember? Why cant I see right? The guy stops and another red blur comes forward._

_"Buffy?" The voice asks, is this me? Am I Buffy? I couldn't remember much, was I Isabella Swan or Buffy Summers…Elizabeth Summers? I stare fearfully, then turn and run away._

_"Buffy!"  
"Buffy!"_

_I knew they were following me but I didn't care. I hid in a ally, in the corner._

_"Where is she?" Asked the Red/Blond blur, which was clearing up._

_"Buffy? Buffy, are you..." I hear her and see her moving closer. I sit huddled in on myself with my hair obscuring my face._

_"It's Willow. Can you hear me?"_

_Buffy look up, very nervously._

_"What's wrong with her?" The first girl asks, in a whisper. I can now see them clear enough. The first girl is short with a perm and red/blond hair. She is very pretty. I remember her._

_"Nothing! She - she's ... she's in shock." The one called Willow says, she is also pretty. With dark red hair and green eyes…I remember her as well._

_"Her hands are bleeding. Her fingers." A blond says, I remember her as well. Her names Tara, I think._

_"Oh no." Came the voice of the only male. Xander, my Xander Shaped friend.  
"What?" Willow asked.  
"No. How could we ... so stupid!" Xander said as he kicked a box, Why was he angry with himself?_

_"Xander!" Willow scolded._

_"Our spell. Our resurrection spell worked like a magic charm. We brought you back to life, Buffy. Right where we left her." He says and things start to come back to me. My name, my life, Where I was._

_Willow and Tara look shocked._

_"Oh god." Willow whispers._

_"In her coffin."_

_Willow turns in anguish to Tara, who hugs her._

_"She had to ... dig out of her own grave."_

_Even though I remember most I can't stop myself from crouching there fearfully. I feel like I'm trapped in my mind._

_"Buffy." He asks a little muffled as my hearing isn't the best right now. "Buffy, it's Xander."_

_"We're sorry. We didn't know." I know Xander..I am sorry I cant let that be known right now. Please forgive me for doing this. I think subconsciously before turning my head away, letting my hair cover my face again._

_"Buffy."  
"You aren't reaching her, she's too traumatized." I heard Tara say before seeing the once again blurs of Anya touch Xander on the back as he moves aside so Anya can take his place._

_"Hey, Buffy. Uh, here's some good news that might perk you right up. Uh, Xander and I have an announcement."  
"Anya!" Xander shouts making me shrink a bit at the sound, as muffled as it is._

_"What? Just trying to help."_

_"Buffy .... it's gonna be all right. We brought you back. You're home now." He says as I slowly raise my head, and look at him._

_"Yeah, that's it. You're home."  
"Yeah, welcome home, Slayer." I hear the demon from earlier say and I see the other blurs turn to see the several demons behind them._

_"Alive and kickin' after all!" He says then as a after thought ads, "Well, alive, anyway._

_"Not looking too good, though, is she?"  
"I don't see you winning too many beauty contests." Xander says and I close my eyes._

_"...unless the Miss "My Face Fell Off" pageant gets going."  
"Big axe you got there."  
"The better to cut you down to size, grandma."_

_"Incindere." I hear Tara say and I smell flames from the earth come between us and them, I still haven't opened my eyes. I start to hum something I remember from my time in heaven. Or was it something else._

_"Ah. So you got a witch in the mix."  
"More than one." Tara spits back, and I hear Xander_

_"I happen to be a very powerful man-witch myself. (Razor looks amused) Or ... male... Is it a warlock?"_

_"Plus, we have a Slayer here, uh, who might actually be looking to eat some brains, so, I think a little quiet moseying, no hard feelings, and I'm sure your demon horde won't think any the less of you." Anya says as lyrics flow into my mind._

**On the ground I lay motionless in pain  
I can see my life flashing before my eyes  
Dead I fall asleep, is this all a dream  
Wake me up, I'm living a nightmare**

_"Now, my boys, see, that's tricky. They came looking for a massacre..." the demon begins and as I become a bit more aware of my surroundings I start to rise._

_"...and I think you got exactly enough magic between you for a kiddie birthday party."_

_"Then you'd be wrong." Willow says stepping forward. My humming starts to sound_

**louder. I will not die  
(I will not die)  
I will survive**

**I will not die, I'll wait here for you  
I feel alive, when you're beside me  
I will not die, I'll wait here for you  
In my time of dying**

_"Whoa. Well, I better back off, or you might, what? Pull a rabbit out of a hat?"  
"Don't, don't do that!" Looking towards Tara, "Why would she do that?" Tara shakes her head.  
"We don't want trouble ... you don't want trouble."  
"Of course we want trouble, we're demons. We're really all about trouble."  
"Not this kind."  
"Oh. I get your point."_

_He backhands Willow, who flies backward and lands on top of some boxes. Xander charges but the demon shoves him aside and he falls to the ground. Anya and Tara each go to their respective partners._

**On this bed I lay, losing everything  
I can see my life passing me by  
Was it all too much or just not enough  
Wake me up, I'm living a nightmare**

**I will not die  
(I will not die)  
I will survive**

_"Now let me tell you something, children. We're not gonna fight you. We're just gonna hold you down and enjoy ourselves for a few hours."_

_Tara gently turns over an unconscious Willow. In the background, I finally rise fully to my feet, looking at Willow._

_"You might even live through it." He begins as I walk toward him, he doesn't seem to notice. "Except that certain of my boys got some..."_

_"...anatomical incompatibilities that, uh, tend to tear up little girls. So, who wants to go first?" I come over to stand directly in front of him, still humming softly. "I was really hoping it'd be you." He says and hits me in the face. My head whips to the side but I don't otherwise move. The demon looks a bit uncertain._

_Slowly, I turn my head back to face him again. There's blood on my lip. Her face hardens into her famous "I'm gonna kick your ass" expression._

_he throws another punch but I stop it, grabbing his fist and holding it immobile. With my other hand I punch him in the face twice, then I kick him. He falls to the ground unconscious._

_The other demons look on nervously. Willow sits up, and stares. Xander and Anya stare.  
"Does this mean we win?" Anya asks._

**I will not die, I'll wait here for you  
I feel alive, when you're beside me  
I will not die, I'll wait here for you  
In my time of dying**

_The other demons yell and attack me. I kick one of them back. Xander and Anya get up. I blocks another demon's weapon and kicks him in the stomach._

_Another demon attacks Xander who blocks with his axe, then punches the demon._

_I block a punch and punch the demon in the face, and then punch another one._

_Willow loads her crossbow and fires, hitting a demon in the middle of the chest._

_A demon attacks me with a knife and I grabs his arm in both hands, pauses to kick another demon away behind me, swings the one with the knife around and throws him into another demon, shoves another one away, ducks and punches, ducks and punches again._

_Then I'm surrounded by demons hitting me with various weapons, and I huddle down on the ground under their blows. Suddenly I spring back up again, throwing them off me. I kick one in the groin and he takes two more down with him._

**I will not die, I'll wait here for you  
I feel alive, when you're beside me  
I will not die, I'll wait here for you  
In my time of dying**

_Another demon thrusts a baseball bat at me and I grab it, use one end to hit a demon behind her, then uses the other end to hit the first demon. Tara is being held against the wall by a demon that has her by the throat. Willow hits him in the head with her crossbow and he falls back._

_Another demon has Xander down on a pile of wood but he manages to get his feet up and kick the demon away. Xander leaps to his feet and slams his axe down into the demon._

_I turn from fighting one demon with the baseball bat and another one flings a length of chain, which wraps around the bat. The demon uses it to pull the bat out of my hand. Then he attacks me with a knife. I block, grab the knife-wielding arm, and use it to stab another demon as he charges. Then I kick out behind me, kicking away another demon, and as for the one I'm holding, I twists his head around, breaking his neck._

_Buffy stops, looking around. All the demons are defeated. The Scoobies approach from their various places._

_After that I remember running, running back to the place where I was killed. Was this really hell? No, It couldn't be, my life was here, the only reason I wasn't going back to kill myself, my baby. My Dawn was here, she missed me. I should have known it would be hard for a 14 almost 15 year old to adjust to life without me, or mom._

_I may miss Heaven, miss being free, but I wont leave Dawn again._

_

* * *

_**April 1st 2002:**

_I had just told Dawn everything. How the spell had pulled me out of heaven, how I had been in love when I was in forks, how my birth name was Isabella Swan, and how she was technically mine, my daughter. She was staring at me but all the sudden she through herself at me. "I knew it! I knew I was more then just your sister! Who is my father? Is it this Edward..." I cut her off though. I didn't want her to finish that sentence, I was trying so hard now days to forget about Edward. _

_"No. Believe it or not its Spike. They needed another person besides myself who had contact with me and could help protect you. So they chose spike, don't you recognize your eyes?" I asked smiling. She gasped and took out a small red compact mirror to inspect her blue eyes. "they are so similar aren't they? Does Spike know?" _

_"I do now Bit." I heard Spikes British swagger say from behind us. I sighed; me and Spike had been having troubles lately. I looked at him before seeing Dawn smile and look back at me. "So....do I call you mom and dad now?" She asked and I laughed. "No...you can if you really want to, but I think for the sake of everyone's sanity it should stay Buffy and Spike." I said she smirked and nodded. She got up to leave but I pulled her back down. _

_"Dawn you know how you were adopted as was I? Well I've been thinking and I need to make sure there is no way Hank can take you away, so I and Spike have decided to adopt you. I've already changed my name to Elizabeth Isabella Anne -Marie Summers-Swan, a mouth full but worth it. I would like to change your name to Juniper Dawn Summers - Swan, We of course would continue to use our names and our current last name." I said, and saw her eyes light up. I knew it was half because I now had such a long ass name. _

_"I would love to Buffy." She said and the rest is history._

**_

* * *

__April 4th, 2002:_**

_"'Get the double treat, that's the double sweet, oh it's hard to beat, when the meat meets-' Oh, why can't I get this stupid jingle out of my head?" I ask as I slap my hand to my head. A vampire jumps out in front of me and I blink calmly._

_"Least of your problems now, little girl." I sigh, cant they ever get any new lines? I look down at the bag with the burger in it before holding up one finger,  
"Wait." I say and turn to put the bag down carefully on a nearby headstone._

_"Ooookay." The nameless vampire says as he blinks.  
"Okay, let's do this. Quickly."_

_The vamp swings at me and I duck, then punch him. He reels aside and kicks me. He grabs me by the upper arms and pulls me toward him, moving to bite my neck as I struggle to shove him away._

_Then the vampire pulls back, still holding her._

_"What's that smell? Geez, Slayer, is that you?" He asks after sniffing._

_  
"I've been working!"_

_  
"Where; in a slaughter house?!"_

_  
I pout, "Double Meat Palace."  
_

_"Ohhh."_

_He lets go and backs away._

_"You know what? Let's just call it a night. If it's all the same to you, and you've been eating that stuff, I'm not so sure I want to bite you." I look at him shocked._

_"You're dead! You smell like it! How do you get to say I'm the one who's stinky?" I say pouting.  
"Really, it's, it's cool, I'll just catch you next time."_

_A stake flies into the air and into his heart. He groans and dusts._

_I look triumphant for a moment, and then lower my head to sniff myself. I make a face, pick up my take-out bag and walk off._

**.........................**

_I get my house and shake my head before rolling my eyes. "Oh for pete's sake, Spike?" I ask and not to my surprise the British vampire appears. _

_"Ah, it's a fair cop, you caught me, Slayer. However, in all honesty, I think we have to say this one doesn't count. After all, I wasn't exactly hiding." He says walking to me._

_  
"No, Spike."_

_  
"No? What kind of answer is that, you haven't even heard the question yet." I glare and cross my arms._

_  
"I don't have to. We both know what you're thinking."_

_  
"And we both know ... that I'm not the only one thinking it." He grins and I glare harsher. _

_He puts his hand out as if to grab my coat collar, and leans in as if to kiss me. Before he can I slap his hand away. _

_"No! Not here."_

_  
"Why not?" He ask pouting._

_  
"Dawn..." I begin as I look toward the house, "She's inside waiting for dinner, she's counting on me. I'm not letting her down by letting you in." I said._

_"So it's the fear of getting caught, then, is it?"_

_  
"Reason number one on a very long list." I say as I turn to go_

_  
"Needn't be an obstacle." _

_He takes my hand and pulls me toward the tree.  
_

_"Spike, I mean it. Come on." I sigh._

_  
"I hear you're serious. So am I. I want you ... you want me..." _

_I look at him as he has my back up against the tree and Spike is right in my face. _

_"...I can't go inside, so ... maybe the time is right ... for you to come outside." _

_I sigh, look at the house, then back at Spike. He slowly leans in to kiss her. we kiss, and I drop the paper bag on the ground, and Spike pulls me around so that the tree obscures us from view. _

_

* * *

_**June 15th 2002:**

_I enter the bathroom, wearing a Grey bathrobe and moving slowly, sighing. I go over to the tub and start the water running, I lean over to check the temperature, putting one hand on my back as she bends over. I sigh loudly as I straighten up._

_"You hurt? You're not moving so well." Comes Spike's voice and I sigh and walk toward the sink. I look up into the mirror before shaking my head and turning around to see spike standing in the doorway, wearing black shirt and jeans, no jacket. I turn back around, standing by the sink and not looking at him, "Get out." I hiss._

_"We have to talk." He says and I turn back around to look at him._

_"I really don't."_

_"Well, this isn't just about you..." He pushes the door the rest of the way shut, "as much you'd like it to be."_

_I cross my arms over my chest._

_"You spoke. I listened. Now leave." I spit and he sighs._

_"I'm sorry; Not that it matters any more, but I needed you to know that." He says softly._

_"Why?"_

_"Because I care about you."_

_"Then you might want to try the not sleeping with my friends."_

_"I didn't go to Anya for that. I was looking for a spell."_

_"You were going to use a spell on me?" I yell outraged.  
_

_"It wasn't for you! I wanted something.." He says exasperated before putting his hand on his chest, "Anything to make these feelings stop. I just wanted it to stop!" He says angry._

_I shake my head and look at him taken aback by his admission. Spike sighs, and calms down._

_"You should have let him kill me." He says softly.  
_

_"I couldn't do that." I whisper back just as soft,  
_

_"Why?"_

_"You know why." I say before moving back toward the tub._

_"Because you love me."_

_I bend over the tub, again with one hand on my back._

_"No. I don't." I say, annoyance obvious in my voice.  
_

_"Why do you keep lying to yourself?" _

_I whirl around to face him again before practically yelling, "How many times.." I pause, composing myself._

_"I have feelings for you. I do. But it's not love. I could never trust you enough for it to be love." I say. Keeping my voice calm.  
_

_"Trust is for old marrieds, Buffy…" He begins and I roll my eyes before sighing, though it came out more a snort, "Great love is wild ... and passionate and dangerous. It burns and consumes."  
_

_"Until there's nothing left. Love like that doesn't last." I spat.  
_

_"I know you feel like I do. You don't have to hide it anymore." He said as he starts pacing.  
_

_"Spike, please stop this." I say as my eyes unconsciously roll. Everything was fine months ago but like he described the love he wanted, it had burnt out not long ago. All I wanted now was for us to move on and still be friends for Dawns sake.  
_

_"Let yourself feel it." He whispers._

_He moves forward, puts his hands on my waist, pulls me toward him, and I start to resist._

_"No...."_

_"You love me."_

_"Ow, no, stop it."_

_we struggle, Spike trying to kiss and grope me, and me trying to push him away. I hear Sound of fabric ripping and I think of how Spike could be so cruel as to even try this. Spike's hand is inside Buffy's robe._

_"Spike, no - ow - what are you do.."_

_I lose my balance and fall backward toward the tub. My hand grabs the shower curtain for balance, but it rips off the shower rod and I fall down, hitting my back against the side of the tub._

_"Ow!" I yell as my already hurt back connects with the tub._

_I fall to the floor beside the tub, groaning in pain. Spike gets on top of me, holding me down. He grabs my face and tries to kiss me as I continue trying to fight him off._

_"Let it go. Let yourself love me."_

_He continues saying similar things as I continue saying "no" and "stop" and "ow." As Spike pulls at my clothing. I get onto my stomach and tried to pull myself toward the door, but Spike is on top of me, holding me down, pulling my arms away from the door as I continue yelling and protesting._

_"No, stop it!" I yell as I struggle against Spike's grip._

_"I know you felt it ... when I was inside you..."_

_I start to struggle harder as I feel his hands trying to open my robe. Sound of fabric ripping._

_I break partly free and starts crawling toward the door again. Spike grabs my ankle and pulls me back toward him, flips me over, pins her hands to the floor._

_"No, ow, ow!" I scream before I start to sob, "Please, please, Spike, please..." I beg.  
_

_"You'll feel it again, Buffy..."  
_

_"Please don't do this..."  
_

_"I'm gonna make you feel it."_

_He rips the front of my robe open. I scream and struggle against him as he tries to get my ro off._

_"Stop!!!"_

_I give him one last shove with my slayer-strength and Spike goes flying backward, crashing into the sink and the wall. I get to my feet, holding my robe closed with one hand. It's torn so that one of my shoulders is exposed._

_Spike gets up, panting and staring at her._

_"Ask me again why I could never love you."_

_Spike looks like he's just realizing what he was doing. I feel a spark of pity, I never should have used him but it fades to anger and resentment soon.  
_

_"Buffy, my god, I didn't-" I grit my teeth and yell angrily,_

_ "Because I stopped you"_

_"Something I should have done a long time ago." I say quitter.  
_

_A tear runs down my face. Spike stares at me looking horrified. I don't make a sound as he flies out the door and down the stairs._

_

* * *

_**September 20th 2002:**

_"it's about power." I begin as I squat by the fresh grave, holding a stake._

_"Who's got it...who knows how to use it..."_

_I toss the stake, without looking, and I whip my head up to foot of the grave, at Dawn, who catches it, eyes mostly on the vamp. Nervous._

_"So who's got the power, Dawn?" I ask standing up._

_"Well, I've got the stake..." I sigh and shake my head before crossing my arms over my chest._

_"The stake is not the power."_

_"But he's new... probably confused, doesn't know what he wants..." She stumbled over the words and I raise a eyebrow. You would think her being born of a Slayer and Vampire she would have some sort of extra strength._

_The vamp has both arms out now, looks at Dawn, grinning, as he struggles to pull himself up._

_"Blood..." He says more to himself but I hear it and I can tell Dawn did to._

_"He seems to have some focus there..."_

_"Yeah, OK, but he doesn't know his strength, he might not know all the fancy martial arts they inevitably...." She sighs and rolls her eyes, "seem to pick up..."_

_"Who's got the power?" I ask again, this time a bit more sternly._

_"He does." She said grumpily, and I nod and Smile._

_"Never forget that. Doesn't matter how well prepped you are, how well armed you are, you're a little girl." I said as I walked over to her._

_"Woman." She said as if it explained everything. I sigh and roll my eyes._

_"You're a little woman." I rephrased  
_

_"I'm taller than you." She shot back and I rolled my eyes once again._

_"He's a vampire. Okay? A demon. Preternaturally strong, skilled, with power that no human can ever --" I am cut off by the vampire though._

_"Excuse me..."_

_We look over at him. He's still only waist level out of the grave._

_"I think I'm stuck."_

_"You're stuck." I ask, blinking slowly._

_"My foot's caught on a root or something. I don't even know how I got down there... if you girls could just give me a hand..."_

_"So he's got the power?" She said raising a eyebrow and I glared and motioned the ziping of the lip._

_"Zip it." I crossed the short distance to him as he continues._

_"I really appreciate it... it's just so dark, and I don't know what I'm doing here... Maybe if you just give me some leverage I can work --"_

_I sigh and yank him up by the back of his jacket with one hand, sets him on his feet._

_"Whooh. Thanks. That was a help." He says as he dusted himself off and then grins evilly._

_"Unfortunately, it was also the last..." My hand clamps on his throat and the last words come out as a Donald Duck rasp. "... thing you'll ever do."_

_"Listen up. I'm the Slayer, you don't wanna get into it with me. You want blood, okay? So you can have hers. She's not the Slayer. She's the one to go after. Not me." I said  
_

_"I was thinking along those lines." He rasps.  
_

_"Okay then." I say and let him go and step back. The vampire takes a step forward and Dawn readies herself, trying not to look scared._

_"Power. He's got it, he's gonna use it. You don't have it..." I stop as he rushes Dawn -- and she rolls back on impact, going under him as he rolls past her and into a tombstone, hard.  
_

_"So you use that! Perfect." I nod, looking on impressed.  
_

_Flush with momentary success, Dawn scrambles for her dropped stake, jumps at the vamp and stakes him. A little too much to the right. I wince and watch as the vampire, now angry, he backhands her and she goes flying back. Before she can recover -- blood dotting her lip -- he's on her, she scrambles underneath him to get him off -- I'm nowhere to be seen, by Dawn at least -- Dawn pulls up a stake, the vamp recoils and hisses, but grabs her arm and twists it 'til she drops it in pain --_

_"Buffy!!" She screams and I fight myself so that I don't jump in there. I needed to make Dawn understand that this wasn't child's play.  
_

_His face comes closer to her's, she can't fight him off, saliva dripping from his fangs as he opens wide and covers her mouth with his hand and pulls her head to one side, exposing neck -- and brings his head down. Her eyes go wide -- and I pull him off, throwing him back. He keeps his footing, comes at me -- and a couple of quick, but fairly dazzling moves disable him. I grab a sword sticking out of the ground (by a bag of weapons) and beheads him. He dusts. Needless to say, I've has hardly broken a sweat._

_My attention is on Dawn, who is on the ground, hand to her neck, which is bleeding slightly. Her look is slightly bewildered and accusatory._

_I sigh at her look, I think she may finally understand why I can't train her as I would myself. Maybe some day the keyness will kick in and her slayer side or hell even the vampire side will kick in and she will be more then just Dawn. "It's real. That's the only lesson, Dawn. It's always real." I say and I hold my hand out for Dawn to take. She does and I help her up, and look at her neck. _

_"Let me see..."_

_"Just a scrape. Anyway I had a plan the whole time." Dawn says as I let go of her shoulders, I purse my lips and raise a eyebrow and amused look in my eyes._

_"Really?" I asked.  
_

_"Yeah, I planned to get killed, come back as a vampire and **bite you**." I shook my head. She really shouldn't have jokes like that. Me being around her made this a possible scenario, I of course wouldn't let her know this.  
_

_"You wanted to be trained..." I said  
_

_"The Stake is not the power...Thank you, Master Prada." She says with a impression as yoda.  
_

_"Geez, one violent near-death experience and you're suddenly all testy." I pout.  
_

_"Just next time you're gonna.." She began and I smiled and said, "You did pretty well."_

_"I did?" She asks happily.  
_

_"Yeah." I said as I hugged her a bit.  
_

_"'Cause with the rolling thing, I was using his strength, it was very tai chi, plus I nearly got the heart..." She started but I patted her back and laughed interrupting her. _

_I go over to gather the weapons and we start to exit the grave yard.  
_

_"My first time out, I missed the heart too." I said, her eyes widened and she breathed,_

_"No way." I nodded but then a serious look came over my face,_

_"Just the once." I said _

_"Well the next vampire I meet..." She began but I whipped around to face her and with a stern face said, "The next vampire you meet, you run away. I just wish that was all we had to worry about. Vampires, demons... they're nothing compared to what's coming." I breathed a unbelieving look on my face.  
_

_"I know. I just can't believe it's back." Dawn said nodding.  
_

_"Believe me, I thought I was long past it. I guess you never are. Just a few more days 'til it starts -- and  
then we'll never know what's coming next." I said and we exited the cemetery._

_

* * *

_**September 21, 2002**

_I sip my coffee before putting it on the kitchen island counter and crossing to the window, I smile as I see Xander pull in and get out of the car. I move to the bottom of the stairs, and call up: "Dawn! Xander's here!"_

_"In a minute!" She yells and I purse my lips and yell back._

_"You're gonna be late!"_

_"I'm comfortable with that..." She mutters thinking I can't hear her. I go to the back door and open it and let Xander enter before going back to my coffee. I make a face at the taste before turning back to him._

_"Morning." He says and I nod before yelling at the ceiling, or more so Dawn,_

_"You gotta eat! I made cereal!"_

_"Okay..." She yells back exasperated making me smile and chuckle. I move back into the kitchen with Xander and I look at him, dressed in a ironed suit._

_"You're unconscionably spiffy." I say_

_"Client meeting. How exactly do you 'make' cereal?" He asks as I Swallow another drink of coffee, I smile._

_"mmm..You put the box near the milk. I saw it on the food channel. You want anything?" I say. I look at the black mug and glare before walking to the sink and poring the rest out and wincing as the black sludge goes down the drain and toss a few dishes in the sink as we speak._

_"I ate, I'm good. How are you?"_

_"My sister's about to go to the same school that tried to kill me for three years. I can't afford private school, I can't change districts, and I can't begin to prepare her for what could come out of there, so peachy with a side of keen, that would be me." I said as I rinse the last dish and go about whiping the bar._

_I see Xander holding up blueprints as I whip and with one eye on him Him I continue to dry the bar. "Well, here's a little something for what ails you." I smile and toss the rag into the sink._

_"You got the rest of it?" I ask as I turn my body and lean against the sink._

_"Take a look." We cross back into the dining room, Dawn passing on her way to the kitchen as Xander rolls out the prints._

_"Check out Double-Oh-Xander." Dawn says as she enters. I look over my shoulder at her and see her dressed in a checkered shirt and jeans I nod mentally and say with a pointed look._

_"Go talk with your mouth full." I said before turning back to the prints._

_"I got two crews working this diabolical yet lucrative new campus: finishing up the science building here, and reinforcing the gym. No pentagrams, no secret passageways...everything up to code and safe as houses. I've looked through all the plans, I've been on site after hours..." He says while Dawn wanders back in eating cereal._

_"Nothing's creepy? Strange? From Beyond?" I ask._

_"Murbee yr paranuhd." Dawn says with her mouth full. I smile before returning my attention to Xander._

_"Well there is one interesting detail. I managed to scare up the plans for the OLD high school. You remember, the very center of Sunnydale's own hellmouth.." He begins as he hold up the old plans._

_"It was under the library." I reply and he he holds the old plans to the window so light streams through them._

_"Right. So I lined up the plans, new and old..." He says before covering the new with the old, "And on the exact spot where the library was, we now have..." hE Continues._

_"... the principal's office." I finish after looking at the plans._

_"So the principal is evil?" Dawn asks._

_"Or in a boatload of danger." I says looking over at her. I was slightly worried about her, she hadnt taken the news about my near rape experience with Spike well. I had entered her room on countless occasions with her speaking in her sleep asking her Dad A.K.A Spike why he would hurt Mom A.K.A Me._

_"The last two principals were eaten. Who'd even **apply** for that gig?" Xander asks and I shake my head._

_"I guess we'll see. Time to head out..." I stop to look at Dawn and say, "Got your books? Lunch? Stakes?"_

_"Check thrice." She says._

_"Did you give her..." Xander asks me and I shake my head._

_"Saving it."_

_I produce a box from my black messenger purse under the leg of the chair and, slide it across the table to Dawn._

_"What is this?" She asks taking the green box (Her favorite color; go figure.)_

_"Back to school gift." I say_

_Dawn starts to open it, her excitement tempered with suspicion. I smile larger, she really is a lot like me, only more refined and spike like. Sometimes I will catch myself thinking about Edward while watching her, well more Alice...it uncanny how alike she is to the pixie like vampire._

_"It's a weapon, isn't it?" She asked happily, she has a similar sharp and deadly complex as I ._

_"Yes it is." I say and watcha as Dawn opens the box --_

_.......................................... ^ _ ^_

_As Dawn and I climb out of Xander's car. Buses have arrived, kids stream in, some with parents. I look around, it was similar to the old high school, just as big if not bigger. I wince as memories come back, some good some odd. I look at Xander and speak my mind made up._

_"I'm gonna take her to class. Have a look around."_

_"Okay. I'll be on site here most of the day, so if you have needs..." He said, leaving the end off before nodding_

_"Thanks." I say an wave as he drives off. I look to Dawn and smile before we walk towards the front entrance. I see a girl who looks like a trouble maker with a side of goth walking by herself and shudder. Its odd how adults sometimes get the wiggins from teens when it wasn't long ago - most the time - that they were one as well._

_"Now remember: if you see anything strange, or, you know, dead..." I begin but and she smiles and nods her head._

_"I got it, mom" She says more to annoy me then as a tittle. Against my will I feel my heart swell before I continue._

_"Stay away from hyena people, lizardy-type athletes... if you see anyone invisible --" She stops walking with me and with a amused but put out look she speaks._

_"Buffy. I think it's pretty safe to say I'm not gonna see anyone that's invisible." I nod but with a pout I look up into her blue eyes._

_"You could still drop out. Only nerds finish school." I say. She purses her lips and frowns before glaring a bit. I fight hard not to burst into laughter._

_"I really don't think it's fair for you to try and scare me on my first day of high school, because it is **so** redundant." She says and I wounder briefly if she even knows what 'Redundant' means, cause I don't._

_"This place is evil." I say in my defense._

_"Tough to let'em go, huh?" A make voice says from in front of us._

_I spin to see a tall Black man, quite handsome one too, smiling at the two of us. Most everybody else has made it inside by now._

_"Oh. Hi." I say politely._

_"Robin Wood. I'm the new principal." He says holding out his hand and I shake it. He was nice and not at all what I was expecting for the principle._

_"Buffy Summers. This is Dawn." I introduce._

_"Nice to meet you." He says and I nod and Dawn does as well as saying a soft hi._

_"So you're the principal. I expected you to be more... aged." I prob. Hoping for more information on him._

_He smiles and chuckles before nodding, "You seem just a little bit young to have such a grown up daughter." I open my eyes wide at his words. While my subconscious was screaming, '**That** **right she is MY daughter!' **my mind was screaming, **'No! He can't know? Sister, I don't look like a mom do I?'**_

_"No! Oh. No. Sister." I practically scream_

_"Right. Of course." He says._

_"You didn't really think... Is it my hair?" I look to dawn, "Do I have mom hair?" I asked_

_"I have actually heard of you, . You graduated from the old high school, am I right?" He said and I look at him suspiciously._

_"Yeah. How did you --"_

_"Well, I better get to work. Got to start deadening young minds. It was nice to meet you." He says and then nods to Dawn and says a polite, "You have fun." Before he leaves._

_"Well that was suspicious." I say crossing my arms._

_"You betchya. Bye." Dawn says and I drop my arms and look at her with what I am sure can be described as a lost puppy look._

_"Dawn --" I begin._

_"I know. You never see it coming, the stake is not the power, To Serve Man is a cookbook. I love you. Go away." She says and then turns back around and walks off. I sniff slightly and turn to leave before shaking my head and walk into the school. She doesnt have to know I am here._


End file.
